Pneumatic paintbrush



Feb. 9 Y1926. 1,572,509

F. w. SCHNEIDER PNEUMATIC PAI NTBRUS H Filed March 25, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 9,1926. 1,572,509

F. W. SCHNEIDER PNEUMATIC AINTBRUSH Filed March 23, 1925 2 sheets-sheet2 /N VEN T0@ Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK W. SCHNEIDER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLANMI),ASSIIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC PAINTBRUSH.

Application filed March 23, 1923. Serial No. 627,118.

To all 'whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W.v SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore City andState of Maryland, have made a new and useful invention in Improvementsin Pneumatic Paintbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to pneumatic paint brushes or air brushes, as theyare often termed. It has for its principal objects the provision of animprovedconstruction, (1) which can very readily be taken apart andcleaned; (2) in which the strain upon the hand in operating the twotriggers is reduced, and the air trigger is operated in starting aheadofthe paint trigger, and in stopping, after the paint trigger, withoutthe exercise of conscious effort to secure this sequence; (3) having asimple form of air control with a minimum loss of pressure due tofriction in the passage from the hose to the air nozzle; and (4) havinga simple form of outlet head for securing the shift fromV a round sprayto a flat one with the latter positioned either in a vertical or ahorizontal plane. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 isa side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section with o ne of the side plates removed.v Fig.3 1s a slde eleva-` tion of the discharge head with the cap and securingnut removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the head. Fig. 5 is an endelevation of the head. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cap. And Fig. 7is anen'd elevation of the 1Referring to the drawings, and particularlyto Fig. 2, the princi-pal parts may be enumerated as follows:

- 1 is the discharge head provided with the air nozzle 2; 3 and 4 areside plates which fit over and enclose the air supply tube 5 and '.Airis supplied to the central nozzle l2 through the tube 5 and this supplyof air is controlled from the valve 11 mounted for longitudinal movementin the connection 9 and yieldingly held in closed position by means ofthe spring 17. The valve 11 has a stem 18 which is grooved so that whenthe valve is moved to the rear, the air pass-es freely along the stemand into the supply tube 5. AMounted for longitudinal move,- ment in thetube 5 is the operating tube 19 which carries at its rear en'd arelatively thin metal vplate 20 so that the obstruction offered by thismember to the flow of air through the tube is slight. This plate isadapted to engage the end of the valve stem 18 when the tube 19 is movedto the left. The sides of the supply tube are slotted, as indicated at21, and through' these slotted sides projects a pin 22 carried by thetube 19 and adapted to be operated by the forked finger 23 at the upperend of the trigger 12. The arrangement, as above described, includingthe valve 11, tube 19 and plate 2O provide for a straightaway airpassage from 'the connection 9 to the nozzle 2, so that the losses inpressure due to friction are re- Aduced to a minimum. Any leakage of airthrough the slots 21 is Slight, as the tube 19 has a relatively closefit in the tube 5.

The needle valve 13 which controls the How of the paint through thenozzle 24 is normally held forward by means of the spring 25 bearing atits rear end against the stuffing box 26 which constitutes a closure forthe cylinder 27 carrying the valve. The vnozzle 24 is4 screw threadedinto the end of .the cylinder 27 which permits of its endwise adjustmentto bring the outlet end to proper position with res ect to the nozzle 2,such nozzle 2 being adjustable and being held in position by means ofthe screw 28. The triggers 12 and 1-4 are carried upon pins 29 and 30secured to the side plate 3 so that when the side'plates are separate-d,the triggers may be readily removed. The stem ot the valve 13 isprovided with a pair of nuts 31, one of which is a lock nut, which Serveto adjust the amount of lostl motion in thc movement of the trigger 14.The paint supply tube 6 is preferably Vof exible metal, screw threadedinto the head at its forward end, as indicated at 32 and` threaded tothe cononection 33 at its rear end as indicated at -The foregoingarrangement, includingvthe use of the side plates 2'and 3 provides aconvenient arrangement for taking the device apart for cleaning orrepair. In order to gain access to the interior of the device, all thatis necessary is to unscrew the connections 9 and 10 and remove theclamping nuts 7 and 8 which leaves the side plates free to be removed.In order to prevent the supply tube 5 from being unscrewed at itsforward end when the connection 9 is unscrewed, a sleeve 7a is shrunkonto the tube 5, such sleeve having fiat sides engaging the side plates2 and 3, so that it cannot rotate. rIhe air supply tube 5 and paintsupply tube can then very readily be unscrewed to give access to the airand paint nozzles and to permit the cleaning of the pipes in case theybecome clogged. The arrangement of the two triggers is alsoadvantageous, as it reduces the strain upon the hand of the operator, ascompared with those constructions in which the two triggers are operatedby the fingers.` In the present device, the pressure of the palm or baseof the hand operates the air trigger 12, while the pull of two of thefingers serves to operate the paint trigger. In operating these twotriggers, it is desirable that the air trigger be ,operated first whenthe device is started and that the paint trigger be released first whenthe operation is discontinued. I have found that the pressure, asnaturally applied by the operator upon the handle of the-device, andwithout conscious effort, gives this de sired sequence of operation.Pressure of the hand in starting the device first opens the air valve,after .which the pull by the fingers opens the paint valve, while in therele-ase operation, the relaxing of the hand first releases the painttrigger and then the air trigger. The operation of the device.therefore, requires less'attention and skill than is the case in thetype of apparatus where two finger' triggers are used.

The air nozzle construction willl be seen by reference to Figs. :3,to 7.Referring to these iigures,it,w1ll be seen that the air head is providedwith a conical surface 35 provided with an annular oove 36 and with fourbranch grooves 37 eradin inward toward the center of the head rom thegroove 36. The groove 36 is supplied with air through a pair of inclinedpassages 38. The'cap 15 is provided with an annular, con,

ical surface 39 adapted to. oppose and fit tightly against the annularsurface 35 on the head. Leading from this surface are two passages 40leading to the supplemental air nozzles 41. The cap. 15 is held inposition agansththe head bymeansof the nut 16 which fits over the endofithe'cap and has engagement with the threaded portiorr 42' of thehead. When the cap is in a position of rotary adjustment such thattheends of 40 over the ranch passages 37, air is sup-,

plied to such passages 40 via the groove 36 and the branch passages andthe spray ofy paint, which would otherwise be round, is spreadlaterally, giving a fan spray. When it is desired Vto turn this spray90, all that is necessary is to rotate the cap 9 0", bringing the innerends of the passages 40 into alignment with the other set of branchpassages 37. When the cap is in its desired position of adjustment, thenut 1 6` is tightened suficiently to prevent any accidental rotation ofthe cap. This forms a simple and convenient method of securing either around spray, a vertical fan spray or a' horizontal fan spray, dependingupon the requirementsl of the work. The parts constituting the headmaybe easily taken apart for cleanlng purposes. In case paints ofdifferent degrees of lfluidity are used, paint nozzles similar to 24,but of different interior dimensions,may

be substituted, thus rendering the device capable of a wide variety ofuse. l

What I claim is: Y 1. In combination 1n a pneumatic air brush having abody portion, a paint nozzleor more of the fingers of such hand.

2. In combination in a pneumatic air brush having a body portion, apaint nozzle and an air nozzle arran ed in" operative relation, supplypassages fieading to the nozzles, and valves for controlling saidpassages,

of a pistol grip for the body portlon, and a palr o f trlggers foroperating the valves, the air contro ling trigger extending along theback of the grip, and operable by the pressure ofthe palm or base of thehand of the operatolgand the aint controlling iin er ly1n` era le-by tepull of lingers of such hand. 3. In combination` in a pneumatic airbrush, -of a discharge head carrying air and paint nozzles,supply-,tubes leadin wardly fromlsaid head, a pair of simi ar sideplates fitting over and enclosingsaid tubes and including rear extensionportions and one or morev of t e grip., portions, opposing.semi-cylindrical forward of t e grip, and o Athreaded parts at the endsof said ortions fitting around said supply tubes, c amping nuts on saidthreaded arts for securing the tubes and side plates 1n assembledrelation, valves for controlling the flow `through the tubes, andtrigger means for operating the valves. y y

4. In combination -in a pneumatic -air brush, of a discharge headcarrying air and paint nozzles, supply tubes leading rearwardly fromsaid head, a pair of similar sidel plates fitting over and' enclosingsaid tubes and including rearY extension portionskand grip portions,opposing semi-cylindrical threaded parts at the ends of saidportionsfitting Varound said supply tubes, clampingA nuts on said threaded partsfor securing the y tubes and side plates in assembled relation,

valves for controlling the {iowthrough the tubes, anda pair of triggersfor controlling the flow through said tubes mounted between the sideplates, the said supply tubes being detachably secured to said head.

5. In combination, in a pneumatic air brush, of a discharge headcarrying air and pait `nozzles, lan air supplyV tube leading rearwardlfrom said head, a'flexible aint supply tu e leading rearwardly andaterally from'said head' and detachably secured' thereto, a pair ofsimilar'side plates fitting y over and enclosing said tubes; andincluding forward extension portions fitting around the forward' ends ofthe tubes," rear extension portions fitting -around the rear, end of theair tube, and grip Aportions extending laterally fitting around theiexible paint tube, opposing semi-cylindrical "threaded parts at theends of the rear extensions and v flow through the tubes, for operatingthe valves.

grip extensions, clamping nuts on saidL threaded portions, valvesv forcontrolling -the 6. Inncombination. in a pneumatic air brush, of a`discharge head carrying air and paint'nozzles, an air su ply tube'leading'rearwardly from said cad, a'iiexible extension portions fttinand trigger means subscribed paint supply tube leading rearwardly andlaterally' from said head and detachabl secured thereto, a pair ofsimilar side p atesv fitting over `and enclosing said tubes, and

including forward extension portions fitting around'the forward ends ofthe tubes, rear end of the air tube, an grip portions extendinglaterally fitting around lthe flexible paint tube, opposingsemi-cylindrical 'threaded parts at the ends of the rear extensionsaround the rear and grip extensions, vclamping nuts on said threadedportions, valves for controlling the fiow through the tubes, and triggermeans for operating the va1ves,the said air ,and

supply tubes having threaded engagement with said head lat their forwardends.

7. In combination in. a` pneumatici; air

brush, an air nozzle, a supply tube leading brush, an air nozzle, asupply tube-leading thereto and having a slot through its side, an airadmission valve at the rear end of the tube opening-bv 'a rearwardmovement and yieldingly held forward in closed position, a forwardlyprojecting stem on said valve, an operatingtube slidingly mounted in thesupply tube and having aprojcction extending through the slot in fthesupply tube,

means' carried by the operating tube for fengaging the stein of thevalve, and a trigger for moving said projection. y

In testimony whereof, I have4 hereunto my name this 5th day. of March,

